The Hallé in Gateshead – Ein Heldenleben

The evening

In his 80th birthday year, Sir Mark Elder steers the orchestra through music that celebrates their extraordinary partnership.

Critics say Elder’s recording of Debussy’s Nocturnes is head and shoulders above the rest. Here the softly-tinted clouds scud hypnotically across the sky before the excitement and buzz of the carnival bursts onto the scene.

Wagner’s witty opera tells the uplifting story of a young knight who tries to woo the light of his life … by winning a singing competition! The suite weaves lyrical love music with comic confusion before coming to a triumphant end.

Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life) explores the life of the composer – including a run-through of his back catalogue. Drawing on the full range of the orchestra, it comes to a close with exceptionally beautiful music for horn and violin.